Apparatus for controlling lift pin movement

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lift pins and to apparatus for controlling lift pin movement. In an embodiment, an apparatus for positioning a substrate in a chamber is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber component, a lift pin having a top surface for supporting the substrate and a lift pin shaft and a stopper. The apparatus further includes a compressible element positioned between the chamber component and the stopper, the compressible element further positioned around the lift pin shaft, the lift pin being moveable relative to a substrate transfer plane by movement of a substrate support in contact with the compressible element.

BACKGROUND Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lift pins andto apparatus for controlling lift pin movement.

Description of the Related Art

Conventional cluster tools include various chambers for performing avariety of processes during substrate processing. When multiple processstations are placed in a single chamber body, two or more differentpressure conditions are utilized, requiring isolation of the processenvironment(s) from the remaining areas of the chamber body. Openings inthe substrate support through which lift pins project are potentialareas where leakage and cross-contamination can occur, causing, e.g.,loss of vacuum and loss of product sterility. The leakage andcross-contamination affect the uniformity of substrates being processes.

In addition, substrate handling and substrate lifting are key parametersto achieve uniformity across the processed substrate. Conventionalsubstrate lift pins have high positional shift from one lift pin toanother, causing wear on processing equipment and particulategeneration. Moreover, the planarity shift between two or more lift pinsaffects substrate shift. Existing methodologies to correct the planarityshift and positional shift of the lift pins, such as torque adjustment,are challenging because the substrate support, among other equipment,blocks access to the lift pins. Even if the lift pins can be accessed,adjustment of the lift pins can cause the lift pins to rub against thesubstrate support, leading to particulate generation.

Further, conventional designs for actuation of the lift pins utilizemultiple components, such as motors, drivers, and linear motion railassemblies. As the number of components increases, maintenance costsincrease and the reliability of the system decreases. Moreover, each ofthese components uses separate software controls, increasing thecomplexity of the design.

There is a need for new and improved lift pins, apparatus comprisingsuch lift pins, and lift pin actuators that overcome, e.g., one or moredeficiencies in the art.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lift pins andto apparatus for controlling lift pin movement.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for positioning a substrate in a chamberis provided. The apparatus includes a chamber component, a lift pinhaving a top surface for supporting the substrate and a lift pin shaft,and a push rod coupled to the lift pin, the push rod having a main bodyand a collar, the collar having a larger diameter than a diameter of themain body. The apparatus further includes a spring positioned around anoutside diameter of the push rod, the spring further positioned betweenthe chamber component and the collar of the push rod, the lift pin beingmoveable relative to a top surface of a substrate support disposed inthe chamber by movement of the substrate support when the collar of thepush rod and the substrate support are not in contact and being moveablewith the substrate support by movement of the substrate support when thecollar of the push rod and the substrate support are in contact.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for positioning a substrate in achamber is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber component, a liftpin having a top surface for supporting the substrate and a lift pinshaft and a stopper. The apparatus further includes a compressibleelement positioned between the chamber component and the stopper, thecompressible element further positioned around the lift pin shaft, thelift pin being moveable relative to a substrate transfer plane bymovement of a substrate support in contact with the compressibleelement.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for positioning a substrate in achamber is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate support having alift pin hole formed therein, a lift pin having a top surface forsupporting the substrate and a shaft, and a bellows positioned below thesubstrate support, the bellows having an opening in which the lift pinis disposed, the bellows expandable and contractible by movement of thesubstrate support. The apparatus further includes a bellows flangecoupled to a bottom surface of the bellows, and a lift pin actuatorpositioned below the bellows flange, the lift pin actuator comprising apush rod for contacting a bottom surface of the bellows flange, a pushrod flange positioned around an outside diameter of the push rod, and aspring positioned around the outside diameter of the push rod, thespring further positioned between a chamber component and the push rodflange. The lift pin is moveable relative to a substrate transfer planeby movement of the substrate support when the bellows and the substratesupport are in contact, by movement of the push rod when the bellowsflange and the push rod are in contact, or both.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the presentdisclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description ofthe disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference toembodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Itis to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlyexemplary embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limitingthe scope of the disclosure, as the disclosure may admit to otherequally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a portion of an example lift pinassembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a processing chamberhousing the example lift pin assembly of FIG. 1A, among other componentsaccording to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of a portion of the example lift pinassembly of FIG. 1A according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1D is a front view of an example lift pin according to at least oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1E is a top view of the example lift pin shown in FIG. 1D accordingto at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example lift pinactuator according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example lift pinactuator according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B illustrates movement of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 3Aaccording to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3C illustrates movement of the lift pin actuator of FIG. 3Aaccording to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a lift pinactuator and a lift pin assembly according to at least one embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of oneembodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments withoutfurther recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lift pins andto apparatus for controlling lift pin movement. Briefly, embodimentsdescribed herein enable precise movement of lift pins for substratehandling, substantially reduce component wear, and preventcross-contamination and vacuum loss from processing environments.

As described above, conventional lift pins and assemblies display highpositional shift from one lift pin to another. The shifting causesmisalignment of the lift pins, leading to wear on chamber components andparticulate generation. Moreover, existing methodologies to correctplanarity shift (the shift between two or more lift pins) as well aspositional shifting of the lift pins, such as torque adjustment, arechallenging because the substrate support and associated equipmentblocks access to the lift pins. In contrast, the lift pin actuators andlift pin assemblies described herein can move lift pins more preciselythan state-of-art systems and enable improved positional repeatability(e.g., lower positional shift from pin-to-pin) over conventionaldesigns. As such, embodiments provided herein substantially minimizelift pin misalignment and substantially reduce the incidence of wear andparticulate generation as compared to conventional designs.

Further, existing cluster tools are challenged by running differentprocesses at the same time due to, e.g., cross-contamination issues andvacuum loss. To overcome such issues, embodiments described hereinutilize, e.g., positive sealing of lift pin holes in the substratesupport for accommodating the lift pins. By eliminatingcross-contamination and vacuum loss, embodiments described herein enablegreater flexibility to run multiple processes simultaneously. Moreover,embodiments described herein show, e.g., improved reliability and easeof serviceability due to, e.g., less-complex designs than thestate-of-the-art. For example, and in some embodiments, motion of thelift pin is enabled utilizing a compressible element (e.g., bellows orspring), push rod, and/or a substrate support. Such a system replacescomplex systems for lift-pin actuation that include motors, drivers, andlinear motion rail assemblies.

Example Lift Pin Assembly

Embodiments described herein provide a lift pin assembly 100 as shown inFIGS. 1A-1E. The embodiments can be used in, e.g., a chamber of acluster tool, however other chambers and tools are contemplated. Thelift pin assembly described herein reduces the pin-to-pin positionalshift by about 60% or more, thereby, e.g., enhancing positional accuracyof the lift pins.

Specifically, FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an example lift pinassembly 100 according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure. FIG. 1B is a cross-section of a processing chamber housingthe example lift pin assembly 100, among other components, and FIG. 1Cis an enlarged view of a portion of the example lift pin assembly 100.FIGS. 1D and 1E show different views of an example lift pin.

Referring to FIG. 1A-1B, the lift pin assembly 100 includes a hoop ring101 and a plurality of lift pins 109. The hoop ring 101 has an innerdiameter 101 a that can be used for, e.g., calibration. The hoop ring101 is coupled to a motor and drive shaft assembly 103 for drivingmovement of the hoop ring 101. The hoop ring 101 is verticallypositionable to enable transfer of substrates between a substratesupport 111 and substrate transfer devices (e.g., robot end effectors)entering a process volume 114 of a chamber 102 in which the hoop ring101 is installed. The hoop ring 101 can also be positionable to define asymmetrical confinement region around a substrate and a regionimmediately above the substrate support 111 during processing, providinga symmetrical processing environment. The hoop ring 101 may also beutilized for establishing a symmetrical confinement region within theprocessing volume 114 of the chamber 102.

As shown in FIGS. 1D and 1E, pin collar 109 a of the lift pin 109 has alarger diameter than other portions of the lift pin 109, e.g., lift pinshaft 109 b and external thread 109 c. A diameter of the pin collar 109a can be from about 40 mm to about 60 mm, and a diameter of the lift pinshaft 109 b can be from about 2 mm to about 6 mm. A length (L) of thelift pin 109 can be about 130 mm to about 150 mm, such as from about 135mm to about 145 mm, such as about 140 to about 145 mm, such as about 142mm. The pin collar 109 a includes one or more through-holes 109 d tocouple the lift pins 109 to the hoop ring 101 by screws 121 (or bolts).Although three through-holes 109 d are shown, more or less through-holesare contemplated.

Referring again to FIGS. 1A-1C, the lift pin assembly includes bellows105 positioned around a portion of the lift pin 109 between and abovethe pin collar 109 a. An opening through the bellows 105 is positionedaround an outside diameter of the lift pin 109. A top bellows flange 107b and a bottom bellows flange 107 a are positioned above and below thebellows 105, respectively, and around an outside diameter of the liftpin 109. The screws 121 further couple the hoop ring 101 and the pincollar 109 a to the bottom bellows flange 107 a. The top bellows flange107 b and bottom bellows flange 107 a can be welded to bellows 105, andbolts/screws 115 can be utilized to seal top bellows flange 107 b toflange 113. Tighter planarity and parallelism of the lift pins 109 isprovided by, e.g., the lift pins 109 seated on the hoop ring 101.Planarity of the lift pins 109 is further assisted by mounting thebellows 105, bottom bellows flange 107 a, and the lift pin 109 to thehoop ring 101 by the screws 121. An O-ring 117 (or seal) is positionedabove the top surface of the top bellows flange 107 b and around anoutside diameter of the lift pin 109. Bellows 105 and O-ring 117 providepositive sealing and prevent (or at least mitigate) gas leakage between,e.g., two different pressure environments. This positive sealingenables, e.g., implementation of different processes at differentstations simultaneously without cross-contamination and/or pressureloss.

FIGS. 1B and 1C show the lift pin assembly in the chamber 102 and anexpanded view of the lift pin assembly in the chamber 102, respectively.The substrate support 111 is positioned above the bellows 105. Thesubstrate support 111 has a plurality of lift pin holes 116 throughwhich the plurality of lift pins 109 can move up and down for substratemovement/transfer. The O-ring 117 is positioned between an upper surfaceof each top bellows flange 107 b and a surface of a flange 113. Topbellows flange 107 b and O-ring 117 enable a positive seal with theflange 113. The flange 113 is coupled to the substrate support bybolts/screws 118. The planarity of the lift pins 109 is further assistedby the top bellows flange 107 b being coupled to the substrate support111 via the flange 113. An O-ring 120 is positioned between bottombellows flange 107 a and the pin collar 109 a of the lift pin 109. TheO-ring 120 further mitigates gas leakage and cross-contaminationbetween, e.g., two different pressure environments.

The bellows 105 expands and contracts via movement of, e.g., thesubstrate support 111. Because the substrate support 111 moves up anddown, the height of the lift pins 109 can be adjusted relative to anupper surface of the substrate support 111. The hoop ring 101 is coupledto the motor and drive shaft assembly 103 via a drive shaft 123. Thedrive shaft assembly 103 is operable to control a vertical elevation ofthe hoop ring within the chamber 102. In some embodiments, a drive shaftbellows 124 is utilized to prevent leakage between the drive shaft 123and the chamber 102. A spacer 125 is coupled to the drive shaft assembly103 and hoop ring 101 by, e.g., threaded screws, enabling contactbetween the drive shaft assembly 103 and the hoop ring 101.

Table 1 shows various parameters of positional shifts and planarityshifts between lift pins 109 of embodiments described herein (Example 1)and two comparative examples. The inner diameter 101 a in the hoop ringis the starting point for calculating the positional shift of the liftpins.

TABLE 1 Comparative Comparative Example Parameter Example 1 Example 2 11 Positional shift between 0.0095 0.01125 0.01 lift pin and hole in hoopring, inches 2 Positional shift between 0.039 0.0425 0.04 two lift pinsdue to tolerance stack-up, inches 3 Planarity shift, inches 0.07070.0355 0.005 4 Total positional shift 0.1097 0.078 0.045 between twolift pins, inches 5 RMS Value (77%), 0.0845 0.0601 0.0346 inches

The data shows that the example lift pin assembly is improved over thestate-of-the-art. For example, the planarity shift of the example liftpin assembly is about 14× and about 7× lower than that of comparativeexample 1 and comparative example 2, respectively. In addition, thetotal positional shift between lift pins of the example lift pinassembly is about 2-3× lower than comparative example 1 and comparativeexample 2. Moreover, without affecting parameters 1 and 2, the planarityshift (parameter 3), total positional shift between two lift pins(parameter 4) and RMS value (parameter 5) are lowered significantly.

Example Lift Pin Actuators

Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to lift pin actuators,examples of which are shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Generally, the liftpin actuators described herein move in response to movement of, e.g., asubstrate support, a push rod, and/or a compressible element such as abellows or spring. The lift pin actuators can be used in, e.g., achamber of a cluster tool, however other chambers and tools arecontemplated. The lift pin actuators described herein can replaceconventional assemblies having motors, drivers, and linear motion rails.Moreover, the lift pin actuators can be free of software control.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a lift pin actuator 200 according to at leastone embodiment. The lift pin actuator 200 includes a spring 205positioned around an outside diameter of a push rod 207. Portions of thepush rod 207 have differing diameters or sizes. For example, a collar207 a extends from a main body 207 b of the push rod 207. An uppersurface 207 c of the collar 207 a provides a contact point with thesubstrate support by a flange 209. A lower surface 207 d of the collar207 a, along with a chamber body 211, positionally confines the spring205. Alternatively, a hoop ring, such as hoop ring 101, can be usedinstead to confine the spring 205 instead of the chamber body 211. Anupper surface 207 e of the push rod 207 is coupled, directly orindirectly, to a lift pin 109. The push rod 207 is moveable into and outof a cavity 213 formed in the chamber body 211 (or the hoop ring 101).

In a processing chamber, e.g., chamber 102, the substrate support 111 ispositioned above the lift pin actuator 200. The substrate support 111has lift pin holes 116 through which the lift pin 109 can project andretract for substrate handling. Generally, the lift pin actuator 200moves in response to the substrate support 111 which is coupled to theflange 209 by, e.g., bolts or screws. The flange 209 can be amini-volume flange. In the position shown in FIG. 2, the flange 209 doesnot contact the collar 207 a of the push rod 207. Thus, as the substratesupport 111 is lowered, the lift pin 109 is stationary until the flange209 coupled to the substrate support 111 contacts the push rod 207 andenables movement of the lift pin 109 along with the substrate support111.

In operation, as the substrate support 111 moves downward along thez-axis, the lift pin 109 projects through the lift pin hole 116 of thesubstrate support 111. As the substrate support 111 moves furtherdownward, the flange 209 contacts the push rod 207 (via collar 207 a)and the spring 205 contracts. Since the push rod 207 is coupled to thelift pin 109, the push rod 207 and the lift pin 109 move together withthe substrate support 111, after the flange contacts the push rod 207,so as to allow substrate 201 to rest on a transfer arm 203. Thiscompletes exchange between robot and lift pin. Lift pin 109 retractsrelative to flange 111 when there is a gap created between the lift pin109 and the upper surface 207 e of the push rod 207. This can occur whenthe push rod 207 attains the maximum upward position. The substratesupport 111 rises further up and lift pin 109 falls in the lift pin hole116 under the influence of gravity.

In the position shown, and as a non-limiting illustration, the transferarm 203 can lift the substrate 201 and transfer the substrate 201 to adifferent chamber of the cluster tool.

FIG. 3A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a lift pin actuator300 according to at least one embodiment. The lift pin actuator 300includes a compressible element 311 and a stopper 301. The compressibleelement can be, e.g., a bellows, a spring, or a similar element havingcompressive properties. The compressible element 311 is positionedaround the lift pin 109 such that the lift pin 109 is moveable throughan opening 317 of the compressible element 311. A guide bushing 310 islocated within the opening 317 of compressible element 311, which canserve to grip the lift pin 109. The stopper 301 is coupled to a chamberbody 211 or to a hoop ring 101 depending on the desired configuration.The stopper 301 confines vertical movement of the compressible element311 and enables pre-tension or pre-loading of the compressible element311. A compressible element flange 313 can be coupled to thecompressible element 311. Alternatively, compressible element 311 andcompressible element flange 313 can be a single part. A surface 313 a ofthe compressible element flange 313 (or compressible element 311, if asingle part) provides a contact point with the substrate support 111.The compressible element 311 is also coupled to the chamber body 211 by,e.g., a mounting adapter 303. The opening 317 of compressible element311 is positioned above a cavity 305 formed in the chamber body 211 (orhoop ring 101). At least a portion of the lift pin 109 is moveable intoand out of the cavity 305.

In a processing chamber, such as the chamber 102, the substrate support111 is positioned above the lift pin actuator 300. The substrate support111 has lift pin holes 116 through which the lift pin 109 can projectand retract for substrate handling. Generally, the lift pin actuator 300moves in response to the substrate support 111. For example, verticalmovement of the substrate support 111 along the z-axis causes movement(e.g., expansion and contraction) of the compressible element 311 of thelift pin actuator 300. In the position shown in FIG. 3A, the substratesupport does not contact the compressible element flange 313 (orcompressible element 311, if a single part). When the substrate support111 is downwardly, the lift pin 109 is held stationary until, thesubstrate support 111 contacts the compressible element flange 313 (orcompressible element 311, if a single part), at which point the lift pin109 is lowered at the same rate as the substrate support 111 uponfurther downward movement.

FIG. 3A, along with FIGS. 3B and 3C, illustrate movement (threepositions) of the lift pin actuator 300 and the substrate support 111within the process volume 114 of the chamber 102, though more or lesspositions are contemplated. In addition, the configurations of FIGS.3A-3C illustrate that the lift pin actuator 300 is not providingisolation of the process volume 114, though embodiments enablingisolation via use of the lift pin actuator 300 are contemplated.Instead, a substrate (not shown) can form a seal by use of, e.g.,electrostatic chucking.

In operation, and in the position illustrated in FIG. 3A, the shaft ofthe lift pin 109 extends into the lift pin hole 116, but a top surface109 e of the lift pin 109 is below a top surface 111 a of the substratesupport 111. Here, the top surface 109 e of the lift pin 109 is at ornear a substrate transfer plane 315, and the top surface 111 a of thesubstrate support 111 is above the substrate transfer plane 315. In thisposition, the compressible element 311 is free of contact with thesubstrate support 111 and the top surface 109 e of lift pin 109 is at afirst height relative to the substrate transfer plane 315.

As the substrate support 111 moves downward along the z-axis to a secondposition (FIG. 3B), the substrate support 111 contacts the compressibleelement 311 and the top surface 109 e of lift pin 109 is at thesubstrate transfer plane 315. At this position, the lift pin 109 extendsthrough the lift pin hole 116 and a top surface 109 e of the lift pin109 is above the top surface 111 a of the substrate support 111. Here,the top surface 109 e of the lift pin 109 remains at or near thesubstrate transfer plane 315, and the top surface 111 a of the substratesupport 111 is now below the substrate transfer plane 315. Because aportion of the lift pin 109 is projecting through lift pin hole 116 ofthe substrate support 111, the lift pin 109 can, e.g., lift a substrate(not shown) off of the top surface 111 a of the substrate support 111.

With further downward movement of the substrate support 111 to a thirdposition (FIG. 3C), the substrate support 111 pushes down on thecompressible element 311 and compresses the compressible element 311. Asa result, the lift pin 109 moves further into the cavity of the chamberbody 211 (or hoop ring 101) such that the top surface 109 e of lift pin109 is at a second height relative to the substrate transfer plane 315.In this position, a portion of the lift pin 109 extends through the liftpin hole 116 of the substrate support 111 and a top surface 109 e of thelift pin 109 is above the top surface 111 a of the substrate support111. Here, the top surface 109 e of the lift pin 109 and the top surface111 a of the substrate support 111 are both below the substrate transferplane 315. Because the top surface 109 e of the lift pin 109 and the topsurface 111 a of the substrate support 111 are below the substratetransfer plane 315, a transfer arm (not shown) can be used to pick upthe substrate.

The mechanism of action for the hardware shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and theposition of the various components relative to a substrate transferplane is similar to that described in FIGS. 3A-3C. In FIG. 2, instead ofthe substrate support contacting the compressible element 311, thesubstrate support 111 directly or indirectly contacts the push rod(e.g., push rod 207 in FIG. 2). In FIG. 4, the substrate supportcontacts a bellows and a push rod provides further control over theheight of the lift pin as described below.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-section of a lift pin apparatus 400according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The liftpin apparatus includes a lift pin assembly 400 a and a lift pin actuator400 b. The lift pin assembly 400 a isolates a process volume 420 fromcomponents and volumes external to the process volume 420. Suchisolation enables maintaining process gases within the process volume420 and prevents pressure loss from the process volume 420. The lift pinactuator 400 b, among other components, enables vertical movement of thelift pin 109. Movement of the substrate support 111 within the processvolume 420 provides further control over the height of the lift pin 109relative to the top surface 111 a of the substrate support 111.

The lift pin assembly 400 a includes a bellows 406 positioned around aportion of the lift pin 109. A top bellows flange 407 b and a bottombellows flange 407 a are positioned above and below the bellows 406,respectively, and around an outside diameter of the lift pin 109. Thebellows flanges 407 a, 407 b are also sealed to bellows 406, such as bywelding. The bottom bellows flange 407 a is secured by a stopper 403.The stopper 403 is configured to resist movement of the bellows 406,thereby enabling pre-loading or pre-tension of the bellows 406. Acentering crown 401 is positioned on an upper surface of the bottombellows flange 407 a. The centering crown 401 is designed such that thelift pin 109 sits snugly within it. An O-ring 417 (or seal) ispositioned above the top surface of the top bellows flange 407 b andaround an outside diameter of the lift pin 109. The O-ring 417 seals thetop bellows flange 407 b against the bottom surface of the substratesupport 111. Bellows 406 and O-ring 417 provide positive sealing andprevent (or at least mitigate) gas leakage between, e.g., two differentpressure environments within the same chamber body.

The lift pin actuator 400 b includes a push rod 412 and a spring 408positioned around an outside diameter of the push rod 412. A push rodflange 405 is also positioned around, and attached to, an outsidediameter of push rod 412. The spring 408 is confined by the chamber body211 (or hoop ring 101 as applicable) and the push rod flange 405. Thepush rod 412 is moveable into and out of a cavity 415 of the chamberbody 211 (or the hoop ring 101). A stopper 410 is coupled to the chamberbody 211 or to the hoop ring 101 depending on the desired configuration.The stopper 410 confines vertical movement of the spring 408 and enablespre-tension or pre-loading of the spring 408.

Height control of the lift pin 109 relative to, e.g., the substratesupport 111 and a substrate transfer plane (not shown), can becontrolled by movement of the substrate support 111, movement of thepush rod 412, or both. Here, the bellows 406 expands and contracts viamovement of, e.g., the substrate support 111 along the z-axis. Becausethe substrate support 111 moves up and down, the height of the lift pins109 can be adjusted relative to the upper surface 111 a of the substratesupport 111. In addition, expansion and contraction of the bellows 406is further controlled by contact of the push rod 412 with the bottombellows flange 407 a. Here, the push rod 412 can contact the bottombellows flange 407 a of the lift pin assembly 400 a and further compressthe bellows 406 once the substrate support 111 moves down. That is,vertical movement of the push rod 412 along the z-axis furthercompresses the bellows 406 and pushes the lift pin 109 upward.

Further, an element 409 (e.g., a flange) can provide additionalheight-adjustment control for, e.g., transferring a substrate to arobot. As shown, the element 409 is disposed between push rod flange 405and bottom bellows flange 407 a. Although the position shown in FIG. 4has element 409 contacting the push rod flange 405 and bottom bellowsflange 407 a, when the substrate support is in a raised position, theelement 409 may not be in contact with the push rod flange 405, thebottom bellows flange 407 a, or both.

In operation, FIG. 4 shows the top surface 109 e of the lift pin 109above the top surface 111 a of the substrate support 111. Thus, thesubstrate support 111 has already moved downward from a processingposition. This prior movement of the substrate support 111 downwardcaused compression of the bellows 406, such that the top surface 109 eof the lift pin 109 projects through the lift pin hole 116 of thesubstrate support 111 and is located at a certain height above the topsurface 111 a of the substrate support 111 and at a certain heightrelative to the substrate transfer plane (not shown). Further movementof the substrate support 111 downward caused contact between the bottombellows flange 407 a and the push rod 412, resulting in furthercompression of the bellows 406 and a height adjustment of the topsurface 109 e of the lift pin 109 relative to the top surface 111 a ofthe substrate support 111 and/or the substrate transfer plane. As thesubstrate support 111 moves further downward, the bottom bellows flange407 a contacts and pushes element 409 against the push rod flange 405 tomove the push rod 412 further downward (as shown). Such action resultsin another height adjustment of the top surface 109 e of the lift pin109 along with the top surface 111 a of the substrate support 111relative to the substrate transfer plane.

Embodiments of the present disclosure enable positive vacuum sealing inorder to, e.g., avoid cross contamination and allow for the flexibilityto run multiple processes simultaneously. Embodiments also enableimproved pin-to-pin shifting, providing for, e.g., lesser particlegeneration and better process uniformity relative to conventionalsubstrate handling mechanisms. Further, embodiments described hereinenable a drive-less configuration for lift-pin actuation, providing for,e.g., less complexity, decreased costs, improved reliability, andimproved serviceability over conventional lift-pin actuation assemblies.In contrast to conventional designs that utilize active drives andmotors to cause movement of the lift pin, embodiments described hereinenable lift pin movement without such components.

In the foregoing, reference is made to embodiments of the disclosure.However, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited tospecific described embodiments. Instead, any combination of thefollowing features and elements, whether related to differentembodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practice thedisclosure. Furthermore, although embodiments of the disclosure mayachieve advantages over other possible solutions and/or over the priorart, whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a givenembodiment is not limiting of the disclosure. Thus, the foregoingaspects, features, embodiments and advantages are merely illustrativeand are not considered elements or limitations of the appended claimsexcept where explicitly recited in a claim(s). Likewise, reference to“the disclosure” shall not be construed as a generalization of anyinventive subject matter disclosed herein and shall not be considered tobe an element or limitation of the appended claims except whereexplicitly recited in a claim(s).

For purposes of this present disclosure, and unless otherwise specified,all numerical values within the detailed description and the claimsherein are modified by “about” or “approximately” the indicated value,and consider experimental error and variations that would be expected bya person having ordinary skill in the art. For the sake of brevity, onlycertain ranges are explicitly disclosed herein. Additionally, within arange includes every point or individual value between its end pointseven though not explicitly recited. Thus, every point or individualvalue may serve as its own lower or upper limit combined with any otherpoint or individual value or any other lower or upper limit, to recite arange not explicitly recited.

As used herein, the indefinite article “a” or “an” shall mean “at leastone” unless specified to the contrary or the context clearly indicatesotherwise.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the presentdisclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may bedevised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scopethereof is determined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for positioning a substrate in achamber, comprising: a chamber component; a lift pin having a topsurface for supporting the substrate and a lift pin shaft; a push rodcoupled to the lift pin, the push rod having a main body and a collar,the collar having a larger diameter than a diameter of the main body;and a spring positioned around an outside diameter of the push rod, thespring further positioned between the chamber component and the collarof the push rod, the lift pin being moveable relative to a top surfaceof a substrate support disposed in the chamber by movement of thesubstrate support when the collar of the push rod and the substratesupport are not in contact and being moveable with the substrate supportby movement of the substrate support when the collar of the push rod andthe substrate support are in contact.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the chamber component is a hoop ring.
 3. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the chamber component is a chamber body.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the substrate support includes a flange for makingcontact between the substrate support and the collar of the push rod. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the push rod is actuatable byexpansion and contraction of the spring.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the chamber component has a cavity formed therein through whichthe push rod is moveably disposed.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, whereinthe lift pin is moveable into: a first position where the top surface ofthe lift pin is below the top surface of the substrate support; a secondposition where the top surface of the lift pin is at a first heightabove the top surface of the substrate support; and a third positionwhere the top surface of the lift pin is at a second height above thesubstrate support.
 8. An apparatus for positioning a substrate in achamber, comprising: a chamber component; a lift pin having a topsurface for supporting the substrate and a lift pin shaft; a stopper;and a compressible element positioned between the chamber component andthe stopper, the compressible element further positioned around the liftpin shaft, the lift pin being moveable relative to a substrate transferplane by movement of a substrate support in contact with thecompressible element.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the chambercomponent has a cavity formed therein in which the lift pin is moveablydisposed.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the compressible elementis expandable and contractible by vertical movement of substratesupport.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the chamber component isa chamber body.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the chambercomponent is a hoop ring.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when thechamber component is a hoop ring, the compressible element is expandableand contractible by: vertical movement of the hoop ring, verticalmovement of the substrate support, or both.
 14. The apparatus of claim8, wherein the lift pin is moveable into: a first position where thelift pin shaft extends into a lift pin hole of the substrate support andthe top surface of the lift pin is below a top surface of the substratesupport such that the top surface of the lift pin is at or near thesubstrate transfer plane and the top surface of the substrate support isabove the substrate transfer plane; a second position where the topsurface of the lift pin is above the top surface of the substratesupport such that the top surface of the lift pin is at or near thesubstrate transfer plane and the top surface of the substrate support isbelow the substrate transfer plane; and a third position where the topsurface of the lift pin is above the top surface of the substratesupport such that both the top surface of the lift pin and the topsurface of the substrate support are below the substrate transfer plane.15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: when the lift pin is in thefirst position, the compressible element is free of contact with thesubstrate support and the top surface of the lift pin is at a firstheight relative to the substrate transfer plane; and when the lift pinis in the third position, the compressible element is at least partiallycompressed by contact with the substrate support and the top surface ofthe lift pin is at a second height relative to the substrate transferplane, the first height and the second height being different.
 16. Anapparatus for positioning a substrate in a chamber, comprising: asubstrate support having a lift pin hole formed therein; a lift pinhaving a top surface for supporting the substrate and a shaft; a bellowspositioned below the substrate support, the bellows having an opening inwhich the lift pin is disposed, the bellows expandable and contractibleby movement of the substrate support; a bellows flange coupled to abottom surface of the bellows; and a lift pin actuator positioned belowthe bellows flange, the lift pin actuator comprising: a push rod forcontacting a bottom surface of the bellows flange; a push rod flangepositioned around an outside diameter of the push rod; and a springpositioned around the outside diameter of the push rod, the springfurther positioned between a chamber component and the push rod flange,wherein the lift pin is moveable relative to a substrate transfer planeby movement of the substrate support when the bellows and the substratesupport are in contact, by movement of the push rod when the bellowsflange and the push rod are in contact, or both.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the chamber component is a chamber body.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16, wherein the chamber component is a hoop ring. 19.The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the lift pin is moveable into: afirst position where the top surface of the lift pin is below a topsurface of the substrate support; a second position where the topsurface of the lift pin is at a first height above the top surface ofthe substrate support; and a third position where the top surface of thelift pin is at a second height above the top surface of the substratesupport, the first height and the second height being different.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 19, wherein: when the lift pin is in the secondposition, the substrate support compresses the bellows; and when thelift pin is in the third positon, the substrate support compresses thebellows and the push rod compresses the bellows.